THE USMNT was lackluster in its win over Curacao on Sunday evening and whereas any workforce advancing to the semifinals ought to be progressing, the USMNT now has extra questions than solutions.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
July 01, 2019
1:00 AM
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WHILE THE UNITED STATES nationwide workforce superior to the semifinals of the Gold Cup on Sunday evening in Philadelphia with a 1-0 win over Curacao, the win was very uninspired and it left extra questions than solutions as to the path of the workforce on this match.
To be honest, the USA truly began off the sport enjoying effectively. It managed possession and alternatives for the primary 23 minutes. Christian Pulisic had a pleasant run from distance and whereas he had Tyler Boyd and Gyasi Zardes open on the break, he elected to shoot it as a substitute – which went simply vast.
Minutes later, Pulisic took a cross from Paul Arriola contained in the field however his shot was properly saved from Eloy Room.
Within the twenty fifth minute the U.S. workforce lastly scored on a stupendous 14-pass sequence ended with Pulisic beating his defender and hitting an arcing cross which discovered the top of McKennie for the purpose.
However following the purpose, the U.S. workforce was by no means in a position to put the sport away. Curacao steadily improved and the U.S. workforce slowly fell aside. By the second half, Berhalter’s workforce was extraordinarily sloppy and unable to generate any respectable probabilities.
Curacao practically equalized within the 86th minute when Cardiff Metropolis’s Leandro Bacuna hit a tough shot from distance however Zack Steffen was in a position to maintain out of the again of the online after making a diving save.
“We had the opportunity early to put a couple goals in, and we didn’t do that.,” Berhalter mentioned. “We kept them hanging around. Then they were very compact.”
If the U.S. workforce desires to win the Gold Cup, this efficiency was regarding. Curacao just isn’t a foul workforce and consists of loads of Dutch-born professionals (with ties to the Caribbean island by way of acenstry) enjoying at comparatively excessive ranges. Nonetheless, a lot harder opposition awaiting.
The U.S. workforce will play Jamaica on Wednesday in Nashville. Jamaica received the workforce’s final assembly 2-1 in Washington, DC earlier within the month in a pre-tournament pleasant. After that may be a doable assembly in opposition to Mexico within the closing in Chicago.
However serious about the ultimate is ineffective in the mean time because the U.S. workforce should be considerably improved or else its match will likely be over.
Listed here are some ideas on the win over Curacao
Enormous variety of turnovers
The U.S. workforce had one in every of its sloppiest video games in current reminiscence. Newcomer Tyler Boyd and Gyasi Zardes had been notably wasteful within the attacking third of the sphere. Zardes was merely manner too sluggish on too many events that it harm the circulation of the sport.
Boyd had practically 15 turnovers earlier than he was taken out and gave the impression to be manner off combining along with his teammates.
Whereas Boyd and Zardes had been probably the most noticeable weak hyperlinks, they had been removed from the one culprits. Michael Bradley wasn’t sharp along with his long-range passing. Weston McKennie scored the lone purpose but in addition failed to assist take management of the midfield – particularly within the second half.
Successful the ball again
Berhalter has repeatedly mentioned that he desires to create probabilities by way of disruption, forcing turnovers, and having a fast transition to catch opponents off guard.
That has been an enormous weak spot for the workforce within the two most basic areas. First, a lot of the workforce struggles to win the ball again. That is one in every of Tyler Adams’ strengths as a participant and he’ll assist when he returns to the workforce. Paxton Pomykal can also be very helpful defensively and offensively and his eventual introduction will likely be a lift. However proper now, on this match? It’s dangerous.
The second largest weak spot is that even when the workforce is ready to power a turnover, they aren’t producing sufficient instant probabilities. For instance, Curacao has been fast to retreat once they flip the ball over and get right into a well-organized defensive arrange.
The U.S. workforce received just a few turnovers however the first cross was typically again, or lateral. There weren’t sufficient events (notably after the U.S. scored) the place the U.S. workforce received the ball and instantly went right into a break to catch Curacao off-guard earlier than they might arrange. The primary U.S. probabilities had been off good breaks however then after the purpose, the U.S. lacked killer intuition to go for the second purpose to open the floodgates.
The Protection was respectable
The U.S. workforce’s backline was truly fairly good and above most criticism. Curacao had pictures within the second half however few of them had been of a top quality. Usually, the protection was in a position to take care of no matter Curacao was in a position to throw its manner. By 4 video games now, the U.S. workforce is but to concede a purpose.
“Our defenders did one hell of a job – keeping a shutout and keeping a shutout throughot the tournament,” McKennie mentioned after the sport.
Other than Christian Pulisic, Walker Zimmerman was one of the best subject participant for the USA within the recreation. He was continuously making an attempt to make aggressive and line/splitting passes out of the again to play attackers into harmful positions. Generally it didn’t work however a number of instances it did. Nevertheless it was notably encouraging to see a participant take some probabilities to create and break by way of the opponents organized setup.
Wanting forward
Jamaica goes to be a really tough opponent whose gamers even have the arrogance understanding it may beat this U.S. workforce.
Wanting again on that recreation, Jamaica was in a position to stroll by way of the midfield with out a lot defensive strain from the USA. From there, it was solely a matter of time earlier than they had been capable of finding a winner.
The U.S. workforce wants to enhance in loads of areas, however the Michael Bradley/Wil Trapp mixture in defensive midfield is probably an important. On the defensive aspect of the ball, these two must cease Jamaica from organising its offense within the center space of the sphere. Jamaica will likely be very tough and if the U.S. workforce makes the ultimate, Mexico might be an absolute nightmare.
This, in fact, goes to be a giant check for Berhalter when it comes to figuring out weak areas, discovering methods to enhance, and increase confidence. There are some key questions. For one, the beginning lineup in opposition to Curacao has began three of the workforce’s 4 video games on this match. How keen is Berhalter to interrupt it up? Or is Berhalter seeking to see this lineup develop? If match, Altidore looks as if an apparent substitute for Zardes. However is Berhalter keen to vary formations to offer help in some areas?
For higher or for worse, we’re going to know much more in regards to the gamers, the workforce, and the coach one week from now.
